Welcome, welcome to this final Poetry Friday in October. Are you ready for a spooky weekend or an autumn break? This is the time to celebrate the season, whatever you may be doing. Leave your poetry links at the end of this post! Happy Halloween!
I've written numerous versions of this poem, thinking from the standpoint of one special day when all the world seemed to BE autumn. I've added what I've noticed in much of this month, and chosen one photo of a tree I loved seeing. It felt like that tree was saying goodbye with its leaves. I also researched crickets, have been listening to what I believe is one lonely cricket for many evenings.
You may know this about the cricket's song, but I did not. "Only male crickets chirp. It's actually called 'stirdulation'. This happens when it rubs the bottom part of one of its wings on the top part of the other wing. There are 3 reasons why crickets chirp...
...1) to attract females; 2) to impress the female he has already attracted; 3) to warn other males to stay away. Also, you can tell the temperature outside by listening to how fast they chirp; the hotter it is, the faster they chirp and the colder it is, the slower. Just count the number of chirps you hear in 13 seconds and add 40 and that's the temperature." - Answers.com
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Oh, Linda B......just this evening I walked the dog alone just so I could say goodbye to so many of my friends, the leaves. I wondered how many more seasons we would have together. I was thankful for this season that we've had. Those leaves! They are just so alive to me. I hate to see them go.
ReplyDeleteI learned something new about crickets! I can't wait to ask my kids to tell what temperature it is. Thanks for that!
I love ragged blooms bowed with age....they are lovely in their bowing...taking leave....
Just today a colleague was reading Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert to me. It's so beautiful. It's not a new book --- just new to me. I hope you can read or re-read it sometime soon.
Have a great week and see you in NOVEMBER!
What a nice beginning to my time as host, Linda. I keep watching those leaves, too, and recent windy days have taken man! Love that you didn't know about the cricket & temp. It was new to me too, and fun to share. Thanks too for Leaf Man. I have several of Lois Ehlert's books, but have not seen that one. Thanks for all!
DeleteIsn't that awesome about crickets? Love that. Also, I love seeing the berries in the fall. Great poem.
ReplyDeleteThanks,Brenda, & yes, I love that about crickets!
DeleteLove your poem and learning about crickets! I didn't realize only males chirped!
ReplyDeleteWe are on the same wave length this week. I've been contemplating autumn pleasures with 3 poems and recipes for butternut bisque and gingerbread applesauce cake. Enjoy your weekend, Happy Halloween, and thanks so much for hosting!
You're welcome, Jama, sounds as if you're going to have a very 'sweet' weekend! Happy Halloween to you, too!
DeleteWonderful poem! And I didn't know about the cricket's chirp. Love "Vees of geese" :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting. I'll post my link in the morning after it goes live.
Thanks, Penny. Will look for your poem!
Delete"Drowsy trees prepare for change" is a great image. Our drowsy trees have been shaking off their color. Plus, rain today brought down a lot of what remained. Some parts of New Hampshire had a bit of snow! Oh, no!
ReplyDeleteOh, my, it is time, and we are still warm here with no moisture except in the mountains, which of course need it for the skiing. Thanks, Diane, the wind has taken much of our leaves this past week.
DeleteDiane, the news on Long Island talked about snow and we were shocked because we have not even seen the leaves peaking.
DeleteLinda,
ReplyDeleteThanks for doing the roundup this week! I enjoyed your poem. Autumn is my favorite season. I love this time of year.
At Wild Rose Reader, I have a short review of "One Minute till Bedtime: 60-Second Poems to Send You off to Sleep," which was edited by Kenn Nesbitt and illustrated by Christoph Niemann. I also posted my contribution to this wonderful anthology.
Happy Halloween!!!
http://wildrosereader.blogspot.com/2016/10/one-minute-till-bedtime-60-second-poems.html
I've ordered "One Minute Till Bedtime", happy to hear that you are in it, too, Elaine. It will be a wonderful one to read to my granddaughters! Thank you!
Delete"This autumn day I will recall"... what a lovely hostess you are, Linda, for Poetry Friday. Your poem makes me ache for autumn...we are still in the high 90's here in Tucson. Love the thought of a squirrel showing winter with its tail. =)
ReplyDeleteAll our forecasts, including the squirrels' tails, tell us a hard winter is coming. Yet, we have had the warmest October in years, and it continues. Cool nights are helpful, and I wish I could send you some, Bridget! Thanks for sharing about your own Autumn!
DeleteHappy October to you, Linda! Reading your poem and sensing these shared images, I felt like you were much closer than you are. Today I'm eagerly awaiting November - Nov. 1, that is - for the release of "One Minute Till Bedtime!"
ReplyDeleteNot sure if your link app is working properly, so I'll include mine here, as well, if you don't mind: http://wp.me/p2DEY3-1zI
DeleteThanks for hosting, Linda!
I'll have that "One Minute Till Bedtime" on the day it comes out, Matt. Can't wait! And thanks about the linkup; I'll check it out!
DeleteMatt, I didn't see a place to comment on your blog. I wanted to shout out CONGRATULATIONS! What a celebration to enjoy on November 1st. And, A Visit to the Forest is great! So much busy-ness for a youngster to consider in perfect rhyme.
DeleteThank you so much, Linda, I appreciate that!
DeleteLinda, I waited patiently for your autumn poem to debut and I am thrilled to read it. Your descriptions of the changes are vivid, like apples grounding from free fall. The transitions are happening too fast especially since I have not seen the leaves peak. The rain brought the chill and swooshed the leaves around. I am impressed with your research before poetry writing-witnessing the changes throughout the month before creating your final product. Along the way you researched a lonely cricket's journey. Thanks for the informative piece to start the round-up. I will store your poem in #Autumnventure. Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carol, and I noticed that you wrote about a new blog. I'm looking forward to its debut! Sorry about the rain. Our wind took many leaves this week!
DeleteAutumn leaves make me think of you, Linda. You always find the most beautiful poems in those colorful trees. The fun facts about crickets were a bonus! Thanks for hosting today.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Michele. I am certainly in love with autumn leaves, sometimes find them pressed in the middle of books!
DeleteLinda, I love how you've tucked so many sights of autumn is your poem, ready to be pulled out and recalled in the depths of winter. We have had gorgeous "leaves dancing in the sunshine air" here for the past few weeks, but today it snowed. Thanks so much for hosting!
ReplyDeleteWow, snow! Still wearing shorts here in the day! I hope you get the sunshine back soon! Thanks, Catherine.
DeleteWhat loveliness. The repetition of that first line is so soothing. I enjoyed reading this aloud very much. This week I've been stuffing my pockets with leaves, pressing them into books and notebooks at home. Maybe I can save a wee snip of color for the long blankets of white? Thank you for hosting with such beauty. xx
ReplyDeleteIt makes me happy to hear that you save leaves, too, Amy. They are fleeting, so it is time to keep some autumn with us. Thank you!
DeleteOctober deserves all the poems we can manage, doesn't it? I had heard about being able to tell the temperature from crickets, but I'd forgotten. Neat info! Thanks for hosting, Linda.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Tabatha. There are so many wonderful "facts" like that that those who observe well figure out. How great it is!
DeleteI love the unique pattern of your poem and all the wonderful fall imagery. Isn't it more fun to research when your purpose is to write a poem? Thanks for hosting today, but I don't have a post. I've been working on a mother poem for Michelle's ditty challenge and it's not going too well. Happy Halloween!
ReplyDeleteWe'll miss your post, Margaret, and best wishes for that "ditty". Thank you!
DeleteLinda, there is so much I love about your poem! That last line is my very favorite, as it gives me a whole new image to connect with one of my favorite autumn sights. I also love the repeating opening line. And I read (when the poem was small) it as "tree fall," not "free fall." I kind of like "tree fall," though it might give more levity to the poem than fits:>) Anyway, beautiful poem--thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteWow, Laura, thank you for the idea! I will remember and give it a try. Different perspectives help a lot!
DeleteLovely poem, Linda - I, too, love your vees of geese. And "stirdulation" - what a word! Sounds a bit too moist and thick for that cricket chirp, doesn't it? Now, "chirp" feels just right - chirp is the sound I hear. "Stirdulation" sounds like it should be something baristas engage in, no? :At Starbucks that morning, the noise from the stirdulation was overwhelming." :-)
ReplyDeleteOver at the Drift Record today I've posted a poem by the Bulgarian poet Ekaterina Yosifova. Hope people enjoy it.
Ha! Love it, Julie! I engage in loud tea stirdulation at least five times a day. :)
DeleteI'm laughing with Renee at your response to "stirdulation", Julie, that "stir" does call up the busyness of baristas! Thanks for the smile!
DeleteDear Linda - I am joining you with weather-ish poems this Poetry Friday! Thank you for your lovely poem that has me thinking of "apples grounding." Our fall has been tainted by an awful drought, so no gorgeous colors this year... just brittle brown. O Rain, please come to Alabama! :) Thank you for hosting, Linda, and for being YOU. xo
ReplyDeleteThanks, Irene, we are drought dry too, but have had the color. With the flooding in the southeast, I guess I imagined rain everywhere! Hoping for you!
DeleteI love the info about crickets! And your poem is just lovely, and hits me at a time when I am still trying to say goodbye to summer. :) Thank you for sharing, Linda, and for hosting PF! xo
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Renee, this "saying goodbye" is something all life does, I guess, scurrying around with the tasks we need to do, and also loving nature's part. Enjoy your time here at the end.
DeleteOh! No wonder the air (and my ears) ring with the shrill, trill of crickets on a December/January evening. They really are putting all their effort into it! Crickets and toads are the sounds of summer, for me.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I am also curious about those squirrel tales... But what a lovely line - 'apples grounding from tree fall'.
Of course! And they must be telling you it's hot! The squirrels' tails thicken here before winter, giving us humans "tales" of a cold winter ahead. Thanks, Kat.
DeleteThanks so much for hosting us and for sharing these fascinating cricket details and gorgeous photo! Happy Weekend!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Sylvia. Happy weekend to you also.
DeleteI love this! Thank you for hosting.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Ruth. Enjoy everyone's offerings!
DeleteJoining the chorus proclaiming the loveliness of your post today! Such a killer last line of your poem. I used to mail fall leaves from N Ga. to my folks in Florida each year. I'm here doing school visits. Too busy to find leaves, but some are turning!
ReplyDeleteI understand about the leaves. When I visited Boston a few years ago I brought back many because some of those trees are not here in Denver. Treasures for the picking. Enjoy your visits, Robyn, and thank you!
DeleteLove your wistful fall poem, Linda. There is something so bittersweet about a season's lasts (and your last line...) Thanks for hosting!
DeleteThanks, Violet. I love hosting. There are many wonderful posts today!
DeleteMiss you Robyn Hood Black....have a great week.
DeleteLove the "I will recall" refrain! This time of year always takes me back to memories of my childhood. Thank you so much for hosting and for this sensational poem.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. I love thinking about fall in my childhood too. We made "leaf" scrapbooks, now long gone, but I remember them fondly.
DeleteHello autumn chronicler! This is an atmospheric October salute Linda. I love your idea of drowsy trees. And the leaf images are lovely. Here, although my post for this month says it's up on Nov. 1, I'm actually sneaking, squeaking by with it on Oct. 31. Have been away from PF & missing it. But also writing a big bunch. Glad to return. Happy Halloween!
ReplyDeleteHappy to see you "creeping" in on Halloween, Jan. Will be by to visit! Thanks for your kind words!
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